Patrick Suffo : "African Teams Still Have A Fair Chance of Moving On" (15.06.2006)
Patrick Suffo, former player of Cameroon’s national football team, assesses the chances of African teams in the competition.
What appreciation can you make of the performance of African teams so far?
I have been following up the matches of the World Cup very closely. It’s exciting. So far, African teams have played well although they have not been very lucky. We should be proud of them. With a little bit of luck, Ghana could have won or have good results in their match against Italy. Ghana did miss a number of chances, but showed itself worthy of playing among football’s elite teams.
Which African team do you think can go far in the competition?
African teams still have a fair chance of moving on
tothe second round of the competition and even beyond. They still have their luck, especially Cote d’Ivoire. If they keep playing at the level they have at the moment, they might be the surprise of the tournament.
Could Cameroon have made a difference?
Yes. Cameroon could have done something special at the present World Cup. It’s regrettable that we couldn’t make it. The present squad of the Indomitable Lions have confirmed players such as Eto`o, Geremi, etc.
Which team is most likely to dethrone Brazil?
It is still an open tournament. From what I have seen so far, any team which is well organised and focused have a chance of moving on in the competition. But Brazil still remains the super favourite.
